LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3484, 12 May 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

On'Tuésday the Mataura railway station was burned to the ground.

Two quarts of Kentish gooseberries were sold on April 23 at 'Covenf Garden max-ket; for £1 per quart, Mad~ ame Mel’-ba being the first buyer.

A cable received from London yesterday states at the Olympia on Saturday Joe Beckett knocked out Bom’bardier Wells in the third rm-und of their 20-round mafch.

Ml‘ P. Fraser has Geclined Ml‘ J_ I. Fox’s challenge to resign his-seat and contest it with him, Mr Fox, saying he is responsible solely to the National Executive of the Labto-ur Party.

An indiéation of the world shortage of sugar is. =.ShOVVII by 5. report _to‘ hand from New York, which states that dur'ing 1919 the consumption ‘.of that arti—cle in the United States was 4,000,000 tons, or 500,000 tons more than in the previous record year of 1915,

Replying to a deputation of educational bodies and local authorities in Hawke's Bay the Minister for Agriculture said it had been decided, under terms of the bequest made by the late Josiah Howard, to establish an agricultural college at the Vveraroa Experimental Farm, Levin :

“Unless we can find a remedy for the present state of affairs, we need not worry about the next generation, for there will be no next generation,-” declared a speaker at a meeting of women in Auckland, called to protest against the continued high prices of the necessaries :of life. -

' That the anti-shouting law is not ldead was evidenced by the fact that four anti-shouting charges were dealt [with at the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court yesterday. George Robert Wells, barman at the Zetland Hotel, was fined £5 for permitting treating. Counsel said the regulation was [being broken day after day, and was as dead as Julius Caesar. The magistrate (Mr McCarthy) said the law was on the Statute Book and must be ob‘served. I The other three defendants Twere fined 10/ each, The cutting-off of the financial as. sistance that was the means of plac~ ing so many of out returned soldiers ‘on the land and others in possession of houses has left is big svs’/ag of names on the Auckland waiting lists. For houses there are 400 soldiers and so]diers’ widows waiting, and for land repatriation the figures rull into 1500. Some of these have been waiting from one to two years. In‘ the case of one man, who is seeking settlement on the land: With farming experience to back him up, no less than eight. applications have been turned down. New Suede Gloves for winter wear, in good heavy quality skin_.. Shades of’_. Sileté, Tan and Mole." Price 15/6 and, 15/9 per pair.-”—-Collinson -‘and Giffoi-(1,: Ltd. . .

A Sydney lady (Mrs E. Krieger) recovered £2O damages from a. hair specialist (Miss Von Brakkal) for turning her golden hair green instead of red with :1 special dye _

An official Gazette issued in Berlin on March 2 contained this politely. worded request: “Will gentlemen who know that they are on the Allied Sul~ render list inform the eGrman' legal authm-ities’of their address?(’

The Domimons Customs revenue for April, 1920), amounted to £602,949 (including £41,700‘ primage), compared with £337,237 for April, 1919_ Excise beer duty collected was £25,547, against £25,506 in April, 1919. .

“Half the parents nowadays don’t teach their children the things that they should be taught. They leave the moulding of their young lives and general Well-being to the school teachers,” was the remark of Mr Wallace (chairman), at the annual meeting of the Wellington School Committees’ Assoéiation.

One striking thing about the New Zealand soldiers was the way they looked after their horses, said Mr Moore in responding to the “Army and Navy? toast at a function at 'Whang:-11-ei. There was less sickness amongst them than was the case with any other unit_ ‘At “pinching” horse feed the New Zealanders would take some beating.

Five youths who appropriated a motor car from the main‘ street ,of Dannevirke, Went for a joy ride, and abandoned the car when it broke down, appeared before Justices yesterday morning on a charge of theft of the car. They were convicted and fined sums ranging from £lO down to £5, and were also ordered to pay £8 costs and damages, in default one month’s imprisonment.

One of the rs-awmills in the Hokitika district bears on the title of “The Better Ole‘.’ The title originated from the fact that the two ‘O-wners are known as ‘‘Bill’? and “Alf,” while one of ‘the workmen has been dubbed “Em.” With the “Diggers’ Mill’? and ‘The, Better-" Ole," the community has vivid reminders of the Great Wal'. ‘Bill’ of the “Better ’O1e”- isnvalso a returned soldier.—Greymouth Star. ‘

Cheap }lydro—electl-ic power in Tas-

jmania is reported to be attracting important industries. It is pro-posed to ‘establish in Hobart a sewing machine fact-onjv, to produce 20,000 machines ‘per annum, and to supply them to the ’Australian and New Zealand markets. The initial capital of the company is ‘given at £50,000, and it is reported ,3;o have a. strong backing of leading {Australian financiers. '

At the Carterton celebrations in connection with the Princesa’ Visit on Wednesday, a little Maori girl, the daughter of Mrs Boyd, of Greytown, presented His Royal Highness with a _Maori mat, the gift of herself and her mtcther. Subsequently, and just 9before leaving, the Prince noticed the little girl in passing, came over to her and asked: “Is this the little girl who gave me the mat?!” Receiving an ansvlrer in the affirinative, he shook hands with her saying, “Good-hve, little dear,” and then shook hands also with her mother

3 There has just. been completed in lHamilton 3. five-roomed residence of concrete slab construction. This residence has been purchased by the Public Vvorks Departnlent, and will al~ most immediately; be occupied by a resident police official. The concrete slab is produced by what is known as the “coike breeze” process. The slabs are tongued and grooved, i.e., inter-' locking, and each is 2ft 6in by Ift 3in. These concrete slalbs, used mainly in house construction, are said to be cheaper than ‘bricks. and about the same in cost as timber for building purposes.

In recording a conviction in a licensing case at the I\lagistr:lte’s Court at Cartex-ton, Mr S. L. Free, S.M., after detailing the persons eligible to be found on licensed premises during prohibited htours, stated that a doctor, called in to attend an inmate, or a lawyer, called in to Witness a will, could a‘dvan‘ce a satisfactory explanation for their presence on such premises. .~\_ law,Ver, however. who Went on to licensed premises to peruse a documenf during prohibited hours that could be seen at any other time, was, in his opinion, illegally on‘ such premises.

At the Lower Hutt Court yesterday, Leslie Wilson and Clarence Wilson were each fined £25 for obstructing the working of the railways, and £5 ‘each for trespassing on railways. The cases arose out of incidents during the railway strike. Defendants turned off the station lights as a train appvoach. ed_ The Hutt stationmaster said that only by good fortune was a serious _accident avoided. The Magistrate,*sMrA._Page, said..he would sens tence accuseflto gaol-without the ontion of a fine if possible -under the "Act, as such acts were tioo serious and could not be toleratefi.

A Flack sheep dog with white neck lost In lalhapg _nine days ago is advertised for.

The concession permitting the use of figul;es in deferred rate cable messages is now withdrawn.

A car spare-Wheel, lost between Taihape and Mangaweka, is advertis~ ed for by the Farmers’ Co-operative Distributing Co., Ltd.

A meeting of ratepayers interested in raising a loan to metal Namunui and Kaweka roads will be held in the Fire Brigade Hall, Taihape, on Friday, May 14th at 11 am. _

The following vessels will be within wireless range for 12th May: Radio Wellington: Maori, .Wahine, Pateena, Renown, Tutanaekai, Waitomo, Tax-awera, Manuka, Paloona, Otaki, Monowai, Opawa, Waimate_ Radio Axvama: Tainui, Kaiapoi.

The‘ first of the series of winter socials under the auspices of the Taihape Fire Brigade will be held in the Three Star Theatre to-morrow night. Dancing will c6Ynmence at 8 p.m_, a good supper will be provided, and the floor is guaranteed to be in first-class condition. The prices of admission are: Gents 2/, ladies 1/6.

The luxurious lives led by the “new ri(:Ll’_’ gall the hearts of the “new “new pfoor” in Belgium. On March 3rd, in Brussels, although coal is scarce, forced strawberries Were sold at auction in the fruit market. Nine berxies fetched £2 15/. The buyer was 3, Dutchman, and the market women believe that the strawberries were for the ex-Kaiser’s table.

Owing to the rise in the price of sugar in Australia, jam manut'-acturersi there, with whom orders were placed for raspberry jam, have refused to confirm orders at the original quotations, and are now asking 1/6 a dozen increase on the pound.tins~before they will execute orders. As this increase would raise the landed price to a very high figure merchants generally are cancelling orders_ The increase in the price of sugar in‘ Australia is equivalent to a sixpence rise on 12lb of jam, so the Australian manufacturer, in allowing 1/6, is not taking any risks. Owing to the failure of the New Zealand raspberry crop this season factories in the Dominion‘ are unable to supply the market.

. “That in the opinion of this nleet~ ing the present system- of imposing a levy on local bodies for the purpose of providing revenue for hospital and charitable aid purposes is inequitable and unduly taxes the holders of rural properties, and that the Government be urged to amenddthe Act in the direction of making the cost of such institutions a charge on the Consolidated Fund of the Dominion.” The above was the text of a resolution received from the Tuapeka ‘ County Council by the Patea County Council last week.. Although the proposal to take the money out of the Consolidated Fund was not approved of on the grounds that it might tend to extravngance on the part of Hospital Bea:-«ls. it was generally agreed upon that some more equitable division of the burden between town and country was required.